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Day one… Blithewold gardens

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While the husband was walking a mile plus for breakfast, I got ready for a day of exploring and stepped out on the balcony.

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Which required opening the interior sliding louvered doors before opening the exterior sliding glass doors.

I’m like a cat, always on the wrong side of the door.

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Balcony selfie in the fog.

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We headed to Bristol that day, over the seriously foggy Mt. Hope bridge.

Our destination ?

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Blithewold manor and gardens where the fog had thankfully pulled back a bit.

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Purchasing our tickets at the carriage house, we learned a little history of the property…

In 1896, Augustus Van Wickle and wife Bessie purchased the then 70-acre property now known as Blithewold as their Country Place offering them an expansive summer retreat away from the city.

The beauty and location of the site made it the perfect place to pursue the family’s love of outdoor activities and Bessie’s passion for horticulture.

Bessie oversaw the placement of almost every tree, garden, and structure on the grounds.

Blithewold’s archives contain journals, letters, and thousands of photographs that paint a detailed picture of life on the estate during the last century. Her elder daughter, Marjorie, inherited her mother’s love of gardening and grew thousands of plants for the gardens.

Marjorie Van Wickle Lyon had the foresight to bequeath Blithewold to the public for their enjoyment, education, and inspiration.

That legacy has continued to inspire the thousands who visit Blithewold each year.

We began strolling.

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Past moss covered stone walls…

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And through a moon gate.

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I tried talking the husband into building us one of these at home…

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But he said it was a little above his pay grade.

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Shame, that.

It was quite pretty.

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Walking onto the rear patio of the house…

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It was too foggy to see Narragansett Bay in the distance.

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But it was a good looking house up close.

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We visited the third week of May and though everything was lush and green, the gardens weren’t yet in full bloom.

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The fog didn’t help my photos either, everything looks muted.

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But there were touches of color…

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And one extremely low stone bench.

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Leaving the house tour for later, we headed into the woods.

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To be continued…

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24 thoughts on “Day one… Blithewold gardens”

  1. I love the architecture of these gorgeous houses. What ever happened to building with pride? I drive through some of Toronto’s subdivisions and want to pack my bags and move away… Ugh.

    Love love love that gate. If the backyard was a bit larger, I might want a gate like this right at the entrance of my bunkie. 🙂

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  7. Fyi: the last 3 pics aren’t showing in Reader or web view.

    I love that you keep mentioning the fog when, to me, it’s barely visible! I live near the ocean and we’re currently in “June gloom” – marine layer blocking the sun every day. If the temps get right, the fog gets so dense that I can’t see across the street!

    Iloooove the moon gate! And your hair!

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    1. That’s odd, photos were showing on this end.
      I reloaded them… please let me know if you can see them now .
      Fog is hard to photograph without good lenses. My iPhone doesn’t do it justice.

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